In Memoriam

RennyCushing

Renny Cushing (1952-2022)

On March 7, 2022, NHCADP lost its longtime leader and inspiration, Renny Cushing. We miss him dearly but celebrate the impact his work has had on so many people in New Hampshire and beyond. Here is an article about Renny distributed by his colleagues at the Death Penalty Information Center.

Warm wishes,

Mandy Merrill, NHCADP board chair

The Work Continues

Thank you for checking in on the website of the New Hampshire Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NHCADP). The website is currently inactive. However, NHCADP has not gone away! We continue to support the work of other organizations fighting for abolition in their own states or countries -- not only financially, but also by sharing our journey to repeal of the death penalty here in New Hampshire in 2019. I hope you will find the NHCADP history and related stories and documents on this website inspiring and useful. If you have questions for us, or have news you’d like to share with us, I urge you to be in touch by contacting me at mandymerrill60@gmail.com or 603-969-9900.

Best wishes to all in these trying times,

Mandy Merrill, Chair
NHDPA Board of Directors

Our Longtime Chairperson Takes a Break

With regret and gratitude, the board has accepted Barbara Keshen’s resignation as chairperson. In the words of board member Arnie Alpert:

It is hard to imagine how we could have succeeded in repealing  New Hampshire’s death penalty without her leadership.

When Barbara became the ACLU-NH’s first legal director, she immediately made death penalty repeal a priority for her time.  At the time, the Coalition had an informal steering committee and functioned as a project of the NH Council of Churches.  But once Barbara joined the team, we started raising money, hiring staff, and making much more serious plans to move repeal through the legislature.   

Although she declared herself allergic to many organizational details, Barbara never took her eyes off the important tasks of fundraising, board development, staff supervision, public education, and legislative advocacy.   Moreover, her personal experience as a homicide prosecutor and as a homicide defense attorney gave her unparalleled insights and connections which proved invaluable.   Her determination and persistence kept the rest of us inspired through the years.

We will miss Barbara in the chairperson’s role, but we are happy that she will continue as a board member.”

Thanks go to board member and former legislator Amanda Merrill for agreeing to step in as chair!